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Bukit Batok
Bukit Batok (Chinese: 武吉巴督, Tamil: புக்கிட் பாத்தோக்), often abbreviated as Bt Batok, is a planning area and matured residential town straddling along the eastern boundary of the West Region of Singapore. Bukit Batok statistically ranks in as the 25th largest, the 12th most populous and the 11th most densely populated planning area in the Republic. It is bordered by six other planning areas - Choa Chu Kang to the north and northwest, Bukit Panjang to the northeast and east, Clementi to the south, Bukit Timah to the southeast, Jurong East to the southwest and Tengah to the west. [[Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore)#Departments & Statutory boards|Singapore Department of Statistics] - Planning Areas/Subzones in Singapore (Year 2015)] Bukit Batok largely sits on Gombak norite, a geological formation that is found in high concentrations within the planning area itself, as well as in the western parts of neighbouring Bukit Panjang. It was this presence of the igneous rock that made Bukit Batok a pivotal location for the quarrying industry in Singapore around the turn of the mid-20th century. In the early stages of the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II, Bukit Batok became significant ground for both the Allied and Axis powers. The failed attempt by the British to defend the vicinity during the Battle of Bukit Timah and their subsequent surrender on 15 February 1942 to the Japanese at the Ford Motor Factory in present-day Hillview subzone was described by Winston Churchill as the "largest capitulation" in British military history. Singapore consequently underwent four years of Japanese occupation, which eventually ended following Operation Tiderace in early-September 1945. Quarrying practices soon resumed after the war, continuing up until the 1990s when resources became exhausted and the area's ecology, threatened. Development of Bukit Batok New Town began in December 1975, transforming the former quarrying village into a self-sustainable new town in the rough span of a decade. As a testament to its heritage, several norite formations and ridges remained preserved, most of which can be found at both Bukit Batok Nature Park and Bukit Batok Town Park as a characteristic feature of the modern-day town. Etymology Numerous differing accounts describe the origin of the name Bukit Batok. Bukit means "hill" in Malay, thus the name of the town gives the impression of it being hilly. Batok, however, has several interpretations. One version has it that, according to a Javanese village chief in the tiny village of Gassing, coconut trees grew on the hills in the area. Hence the name batok, the Javanese term for coconuts. The Chinese interpretation is that the hills were formed from solid granite, which is called batu in Malay, and this was corrupted to bato and finally batok. Another story has it that the hill resembles a skull top and batok could also be construed to mean "skull top". Others believe that batok, the Malay word for cough, is linked to the place either because of its cool air (causing coughs and colds), or due to the sound of explosives historically used at its granite quarry, Little Guilin. Geography Location Bukit Batok Planning Area is bordered by six other planning areas - Choa Chu Kang to the north and northwest, Bukit Panjang to the northeast and east, Clementi to the south, Bukit Timah to the southeast, Jurong East to the southwest and Tengah to the west. Bukit Batok New Town is located within Bukit Batok Planning Area. Subzones Bukit Batok Planning Area is divided into 9 subzones: Selamat had stayed in West Valley @ Bukit Batok (447A Bukit Batok). However, he had booked ComfortDelGro and Grab, which is due to strollers and equipped with wheelchairs. There are bus services 941 and 991 serving Selamat's neighbourhood. History Earthworks to build Bukit Batok started in 1979. The first HDB estate blocks numbered Blk 2xx were completed in 1983, followed by 1xx and 6xx in 1985. Subsequently, the blocks at Bukit Gombak were finished in 1987, with Block 3xx ready for occupancy in 1989. Earthworks at Bukit Batok West began later. Commercial activities Bukit Batok's main shopping complex West Mall was opened in mid-1998. Developed by Alprop Pte. Ltd., a joint venture between the United Industrial Corporation (UIC) and Singapore Land, it has 8 storeys in total gross floor area of 283,000 sq ft (26,300 m²) on a land area of 106,000 sq ft (9,800 m²). It was built at a cost of S$170 million and houses amenities including a Post Office, Community Library and Cineplex, together with shops, restaurants and a supermarket. Transport There are two MRT Stations in the Bukit Batok area: Bukit Batok MRT Station and Bukit Gombak MRT Station. The Bukit Batok Bus Interchange, sited near to Bukit Batok MRT Station and West Mall, is of moderate size and nearly completely used by Abellio Bulim. The interchange and most of the services were previously operated by SBS, the precursor of SBS Transit, until 26 December 2000, which then bus services were transferred over to SMRT Buses (formerly known as Trans-Island Bus Services, or TIBS) until 29 May 2016, by then bus services 852 (until 2018, under Sungei Seletar Bus Package) and 61 will be left with SMRT Buses. SBS Transit still has a bus depot in Bukit Batok. Bukit Batok Road is a road in Bukit Batok. Bukit Batok Road connects Jurong Town Hall Road after it ends and is continued by Choa Chu Kang Road after it ends. Bukit Batok Road leads to many roads in Bukit Batok, namely: Bukit Batok West Ave 2, Bukit Batok West Ave 7, Brickland Road, Bukit Batok Ave 5, Jurong Road and Jurong East Ave 1. Bukit Gombak MRT Station is located near Bukit Batok Road. The road is around 3.5 km. It was opened in various stages from 1985 to 1987. Education Primary Schools *Bukit View Primary School *Dazhong Primary School *Keming Primary School *Lianhua Primary School *Princess Elizabeth Primary School *St Anthony's Primary School Secondary Schools *Bukit Batok Secondary School *Bukit View Secondary School *Yusof Ishak Secondary School Dunearn Secondary School Dunearn Secondary School is a government secondary school located at Bukit Batok, Singapore. Dunearn Secondary School was established in 1962 as Dunearn Government Chinese Middle School. In 1969, it amalgamated with Dunearn Vocational School to become Dunearn Secondary School. The Chinese stream was phased out in 1986. It moved from Dunearn Road to its present location in 1993. In 2003, Dunearn was Ranked 48TH in the GCE 'O' Level Examination 2002. It was one of the schools that operated 24-hours since 2013, and Arriva had the disposal pool since 2013 at Bukit Gombak area. Hillgrove Secondary School Hillgrove Secondary School (abbreviated by HGSS) is a government secondary school in Bukit Batok New Town, Singapore. The students are Joyce Wang Jia Yin, Yongxin Otakuftw and Vanessa Athena Wan. Zakiah Wings had planned to go to this school before because she wanted to proceed to Bukit Gombak. There are various CCAs in the school. Hillgrove Secondary School was founded in 2000 and operated in Yusof Ishak Secondary School. Due to the temporary arrangement, Hillgrove Secondary School was the only school that functioned in the afternoon session between 2001 and 2002. Hillgrove Secondary School have participated in Prom Nights - 2013 and 2017 in the school. Swiss Cottage Secondary School Swiss Cottage Secondary School (abbreviation: SCSS) is a government secondary school in Bukit Batok, Singapore. Swiss Cottage Secondary School started in 1962 with about 200 pupils, housed at Raffles Institution in Bras Basah Road as the school building along Dunearn Road was still under construction. By January 1963, the school enrolment had grown to about 870 pupils who were being taught in Selegie Primary School. In July 1963, work on the school building at Dunearn Road was completed and the students and staff moved into their new home. Since its relocation to Bukit Batok in 1992, the school has expanded its facilities under PRIME Programme, to include four computer laboratories, multi-purpose rooms, rooms for co-curricular activities and a dance studio. It was one of the schools that opened 24-hours since January 2013. The school has a student population of about 1,470. Tertiary Institutions Millennia Institute, formed from the merger of Jurong Institute and Outram Institute, moved to its new campus off Bukit Batok West Avenue 3 in January 2007. Bukit Batok is also home to Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC). Recreation The Bukit Batok swimming complex is located off East Avenue 6. There are many parks in the neighbourhood, including the Bukit Batok Town Park and the Bukit Batok Nature Park. The CDANS Bukit Batok Country Club, for reservist members of the Civil Defence forces and their families, was opened in 1998. It offers a golf driving range, swimming pool, bowling alley and sports facilities for relatively affordable prices. The Civil Service Club Bukit Batok Clubhouse offers swimming, bowling and related recreational facilities to civil servants, their families and the public. It is located near Bukit Batok Town Centre and was opened on 1 March 2006. Driving Schools Bukit Batok Driving Centre is a driving school in Singapore, where Daisy Ang had been collecting it on the year 2012-2013. At the same time, Singapore Safety Driving Centre had opened a driving school in Woodlands, replacing the one at Ang Mo Kio whose lease is near to the expiry by 2013. Jurong also has one driving school in Singapore, which is located at Taman Jurong. Politics The jurisdiction of Bukit Batok is shared by the Jurong Group Representation Constituency (Jurong GRC), which has an office at Bukit Batok Central and manages much of Bukit Batok; and Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency (Chua Chu Kang GRC), which manages areas north of Bukit Batok West Avenue 3 and Bukit Batok Central. There are four members of Parliament, two from each GRC, representing various areas in Bukit Batok. Bukit Batok is a single-member constituency by itself in the 1991 general elections and before, and also after 2015 general elections. It was later mainly consolidated into Jurong GRC. As of 2016, Bukit Batok represents in Jurong GRC and Bukit Batok SMC. For Jurong GRC, Bukit Batok East is the only constituency, of which Rahayu Mahzam is the current MP. David Ong Kim Huat, was an MP for Bukit Batok constituency until his sudden resignation in March 2016. Murali Pillai, a former candidate for Aljunied GRC who lost in the GE2015, has since taken over Bukit Batok, following his by-election victory in 2016. In the same elections in 2011 and 2015, Bukit Gombak represents in Chua Chu Kang GRC, there are two constituencies also in Bukit Gombak, one of which it is a different system. Bukit Gombak represents as Low Yen Ling MP, while Amy Khor Lean Suan is under Hong Kah North SMC. References External links *NHG Bukit Batok Polyclinic *Bukit Batok Division Website *Hillview Peak Condominium *West Mall *Bukit Batok Driving Centre *Bukit Batok Private Driving Lessons *CDANS Country Club facilities *Civil Service Club (CSC) *Singapore International Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC) *Bukit Batok Picture Gallery ~ 65 digital photographs Category:Bukit Batok Category:New towns in Singapore Category:Places in Singapore